I found an interesting and exciting article in the digital version of "Veterinary Practice News" this morning. Apparently, a Los Angeles company is working on a new microchip that would be implanted in dogs and cats called "Escape Alert".

Traditionally, the rice-sized microchips that are currently implanted in our pets, contain only the information on who their owner is and how to contact them. In order to get our lost pets back, a good Samaritan would have to find our dog or cat, take them to a veterinary clinic or shelter and have them scanned for a microchip. Of course, the information in the microchip would have to be registered with the manufacturer and current.

The new technology in the "Escape Alert" would be a larger chip that would actually contain a GPS, battery and an antenna. The pet's movements would activate the battery and send a signal to the owner's Smartphone so the dog or cat could be instantly located. How great is that!

The company is seeking $50,000. to fund the prototype which has been in the works for several years and will start a fundraising campaign on kickstart.com running from September 23 - November 11. They estimate the retail cost for the "Escape Alert" will be anywhere from $99.00 to $129.00. Since statistics tell us that 1 out of 3 pets will go missing during their lifetime, this devise would be fantastic!